HORTICULTURAL SOURNAL. 18T 



that bears abundantly, will produce fruit averaging from three to three and 

 a half inches in circumference — not only in its natural season, but the first 

 week in February, and hermaphrodite in its sexual character, is at least 

 equal to Hovey's. The history of this kind, so far as my knowledge is con- 

 cerned, is as follows: When I took charge of this establishment, in 1852, a 

 large plantation of strawberries had been made the preceding fall, and 

 which were given up to me as a new bed of Hovey's Seedlings. The plants 

 being set eighteen inches apart, afforded good opportunity for observation. 

 On their first flowering every one that flowered up to a certain date, com- 

 prising nearly the whole of them, bore pistillate blossoms. There being no 

 others on the place, and being at that time myself a firm believer in the 

 ' unchanging' theory, I mentioned to my esteemed employer the ''fix we 

 were in, and suggested the propriety of procuring some staminate varieties. 

 A week or so afterwards he being at Springbrook, we examined the bed 

 together, when little else but hermaphrodites were to be found. This sug- 

 gested to me the experiments you are already advised of. The plant from 

 which this fruit was obtained was from a plant marked while in flower last 

 spring. It is a very weak plant, as you will perceive by its inability to 

 bring to perfection, at this early season of the year, the other very few 

 flowers that opened, and that it was hermaphrodite you will readily perceive 

 by the dead stamens at the base of the fruit. In its natural season of fruit- 

 ing the color is deep crimson. 



Very respectfully, 



THOMAS MEEHAK 



Mr. Meehan is well known as one of our most estimable, intelligent, and 

 scientific cultivators. His honesty and integrity, we are fully convinced, 

 would not suffer him to advance an opinion the soundness of which he did 

 not most conscientiously believe. And by all who knew him it is freely ad- 

 mitted that his views on horticultural subjects are remarkably correct. 

 Entertaining, as we do, these opinions of Mr. Meehan, we regretted the 

 appearance of his communication to the Society, on the 17th March, 1853, 

 respecting the changeable sexual character of Hovey's Seedling Strawberry. 

 Being persuaded that he had been led, unintentionally, into error, we were 

 unwilling to take any action, officially or individually, in regard to his coin* 

 munication, under a conviction that his acknowledged discernment, honesty, 

 and intelligence would eventually enable him to discover the unsoundness 

 of his experiments, and cause him unhesitatingly to repudiate them.— His 

 letter has, however, now brought the matter fully before us, in such a way 



